I'll Push Through It
by nicksfriend
Summary: Have you ever asked yourself,”Am I too tired to get through this?” Nick Stokes hasn't, until now.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:I'll Push Through It**

**Author:Nicksfriend**

**Disclaimer:I do not own or have any sort of connection to CBS or the CSI franchise...wish I did though it would be nice to have a little extra cash.**

**Summary: Have you ever asked yourself,"Am I too tired to get through this?" Nick Stokes hasn't, until now.**

**I have heard him use this term twice,both times he was either tired or sick. We all knew he would push through it because he is Nick but everybody has their limits.**

"Nick, can you come here a minute?" Catherine yelled into the hallway,wanting her senior CSI to assist her with a case. It was late morning, but she had nobody else available, and she was busy with paperwork,unfinished paperwork left by Grissom for her to finish.

"Yes Catherine,what's wrong?" he asked,as he walked slowly into the office, the bags underneath his eyes evident.

She could hear the exhaustion in his voice,the new man Langston had just left,Nick had assisted him in getting paperwork on his last case finished up. Nick had his hands full orienting the older man,but it was already evident that he was going to make a great CSI.

"I have a 219 on Canyon Road,I was wondering if you could handle it?" she handed him the paperwork,knowing it really wasn't a question but an order."Brass said he would meet you there."

"Sure Catherine." he read the details, few as there were and started out the door.

"Nicky,if you finish early, call me,I will be finishing up the mountain of paperwork Grissom left for me, but if you get done early I would really appreciate your help." she smiled and took a seat behind her desk,placing her glasses on so that she could start to work on the evaluations,for their annual cost of living raise.

"Sure Catherine,as soon as I get done with this." he held up the slip of paper and walked down the hallway towards the garage.

His body ached,as if he had the flu but he knew he was just tired, Grissom hadn't even been gone two weeks and he was pulling doubles and even triples. Catherine was too busy with catching up with Grissom's backlog of paperwork to be able to work in the field,it had fallen on him and Greg to train the new staff.

As he approached his car he felt a deep pain in his right side,the kind that makes you stop and wonder if its anything important,but it passed just as quick and he continued forward towards his truck.

He opened the door and climbed in,taking out his GPS unit. Then he plugged in the address into the GPS and waited for it to start talking to him as he started the truck's engine.

He caught a view of himself in the mirror, stubble and dark eyes caught his attention, it had been over a day since had been able to even take a shower, it would be a priority when he returned.

Ecklie had always been budget conscious, the sheriff wasn't so much budget detailed, he was more like get the work done,no matter what it takes,and that attitude was placing a strain on the CSI staff.

As he was awaiting the GPS to say something, a knock on the window startled him out of his thoughts,it was Riley.

He rolled own the window,"Hey,I thought you were gone."

"Me too, Catherine caught me and asked if I would go with you on a 219." she smiled,looking fairly tired too,he felt guilty asking for her help.

"Listen,go home and get some rest,your shift tonight will come soon enough.I can get it." he really wanted her help,it would take less time with two of them working the scene but he felt sorry for the tired new hire and he felt he could do it alone.

"Thanks Nick, I'm really tired." she looked at the man and smiled,"Hey, by the way,you look exhausted Nick."

He smiled and quipped," Yeah,it's my best look."

Her laughter was all he needed to hear, she needed to go home,"See you tonight Nick." she waved and walked towards her car.

"Take the next left then go 300 feet and then turn right." Ellen directed,Nick could not help but to smile at the name Warrick had given to his little lady. He loved his little GPS.

He pulled out of the garage and headed out into the open,following Ellen's directions to the crime scene.

**This is the beginning of a short story,not 40 chapters but really a short story...I need to learn how to write short stories.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:I'll Push Through It**

**Author:Nicksfriend**

**Disclaimer:I do not own or have any sort of connection to CBS or the CSI franchise...wish I did though it would be nice to have a little extra cash.**

**Summary: Have you ever asked yourself,"Am I too tired to get through this?" Nick Stokes hasn't, until now.**

**I have heard him use this term twice,both times he was either tired or sick. We all knew he would push through it because he is Nick but everybody has their limits.**

"Take the next left then go 300 feet and then turn right." Ellen directed,Nick could not help but to smile at the name Warrick had given to his little lady. He loved his little GPS.

He pulled out of the garage and headed out into the open,following Ellen's directions to the crime scene.

**418 Canyon Road**

Definitely a road trip, he thought to himself. It had taken an hour to drive to the residence. Brass's car was sitting out front,along with several other police cars, in front of the large two story brick house, with a double garage.

The coroner's vehicle was already there,David was working late too,he must be waiting for me to arrive so he can take the body back to the morgue,Nick thought to himself as he pulled his car beside the driveway..

Nick placed his car into park and hit the emergency brake,then opened the door,the heat hitting him in the face,it was going to be a long, hot day.

He pulled his gloves out of his back pocket and pulled them on his already sweaty hands,taking out his kit from the back of his truck,then moving towards the house,hoping that this was a simple crime.

He shook his head as he approached,Catherine must of left out some details,it was more than a single homicide,it was a triple.

He took a deep breath and entered,looking at the amount of blood that covered every wall,every piece of furniture and it must of started up stairs because the stairway was like a fountain of spatter and the pooling of blood,it was sticky,must of been hours ago since the murders had occurred, he deducted quickly.

"Hey Nick,where have you been?" David asked, as he handed Nick a wallet from the first victim.

He read the name on the license and handed it to Brass, "What happened to Mr Wilcox other than the obvious?" lifting his camera and taking several pictures of the man who looked as if he had almost been decapitated.

Brass pointed to the woman in the living room area,already cuffed and having lots of attitude with the three officers who were trying to control her hefty build,she had more muscles than Schwarzenegger.

"He told her she was fat,gave her a weight loss membership for her birthday and evidently his brothers laughed. The rest is fairly evident." he gave Nick a small grin and then pointed towards the door,directing the officers to take the woman to the police car.

The woman gave them all a look,it appeared to be a look of being obstinate,or maybe defiant, they both look the same when one is attempting to move a mountain to a car.

"I'm not going anywhere you stupid sons of bitches,they deserved what they got,I just wish I had more time with them, I would have filleted them and put them on the grill!" she shouted as the officers looked to Brass for help.

"This might not go well." he mumbled to Nick who was already getting out of the way,pulling David with him.

David wanted to run but he knew that might look just a little cowardly,but he was a tech,"Listen, I need to get something from the wagon." he almost ran,but maintained a fast walk out the door.

Nick grinned,watching the tech move faster than he had seen him move in a long time."Need some help Brass?" he asked as he laid down his equipment and started to follow the older man, the woman now making more of a scene and putting up more of a fight.

"We may need an army Nick. Hey,if I get decked,my insurance policy is in my car." he turned and smiled at his friend.

Nick nodded, this was one angry woman, and she had just killed a few of her family members,wondering suddenly if she might be on some sort of drug,PCP coming first to mind.

The woman eyed the younger man, the Texan looked a lot like her husband and she was focused like a prize fighter in the ring,"You come back for more honey?" she asked as she bent down,like a bull with horns.

Nick looked around,expecting that one of the dead men had risen,then sudden realization that she was talking about him,"No, no ma'am I'm a CSI with the Las Vegas Police Department, you just need to cooperate and go with the men quietly." hoping that somewhere in her possibly drugged mind she might see the situation as it was,but not putting up much hope.

"You piece of shit,I'm going to kill you again,it may take a while but I will put you in your grave." she screamed towards the CSI.

Brass turning and telling the man behind him to"Run!"

Nick was about to do just that when she stampeded,pushing down the wimpy looking men attempting to hold on to her,one still hanging on to her girdle that was sticking out the back of her pants but he was being dragged through the small hallway and towards Nick.

Brass was the first to hit the floor,and even with her hands cuffed and the man hanging on to the oversized garment she still managed to get her teeth into Nick's shoulder,his vest the only thing stopping the blood flow as they both hit the floor with a loud thud,loud enough for the other men to think she had just killed their friend.

"Get her off!" Nick shouted to his fellow officers in a muffled,out of breath voice,seeing that they all looked rather stunned,none of which had even drawn a gun,too dazed at the strength of the oversized,wrestler bitch.

David took that moment to walk back in,hoping that all had went well in his absence and that's when he saw the huge woman lying on top of Nick, attacking his friend,"Huh Nick, you need some help?" he asked loud enough for the question to reach Nick's ears.

"Hit her with my kit,my camera,anything!" he begged,hoping that someone would come to his rescue.

David,feeling sweaty,and nervous picked up Nick's kit and slammed the woman across the head, she fell,unconscious to the floor,her false teeth still hanging onto Nick's shoulder.

Nick leaned his head back and closed his eyes,"Thanks Dave." he whispered,hoping not to wake lady Godzilla.

Brass finally stood,feeling every bit his age all of a sudden,"Nicky, you okay?" he asked,knowing that his friend had taken the worst of the abuse from of the woman.

"I'm alive,I think." he struggled to his feet after a few attempts,waving off any assistance,checking his shoulder for blood and using his gloved hands to place her teeth into an evidence bag.

"I guess we can get started now." Dave remarked as he made his way back to the dead bodies.

**Okay,it is different but I hope you like!**

**No, I haven't forgot about Last Drink Tonight,working on a chapter to post tonight,later...thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:I'll Push Through It**

**Author:Nicksfriend**

**Disclaimer:I do not own or have any sort of connection to CBS or the CSI franchise...wish I did though it would be nice to have a little extra cash.**

**Summary: Have you ever asked yourself,"Am I too tired to get through this?" Nick Stokes hasn't, until now.**

**I have heard him use this term twice,both times he was either tired or sick. We all knew he would push through it because he is Nick but everybody has their limits.**

I guess we can get started now." Dave remarked as he made his way back to the dead bodies.

**Crime Scene**

Hours later the crime scene was finally done,hundreds of pictures,swabs and collected evidence which included the weapon of choice,a meat cleaver Mr Wilcox had purchased for his wife's anniversary present just weeks before. Enough evidence and actually more than needed to convict the wife in any court.

Nick packed up the evidence, the pain in his side had returned,it seemed more like a dull ache now, with a little nausea added this time, he just pushed it off to being tired,damned tired.

"Hey Nick!" Brass yelled walking towards him,the woman had been taken to the hospital after she had regained consciousness.

"Yeah Jim." he answered,hoping that no more favors would be asked, he just wanted to go home and jump in bed or rather crawl after he dropped off the evidence at the lab.

"Can you do me a favor, I was wanting to go straight home,early shift tonight and I needed to drop off this report off at the station. Do you mind?" Brass handed him the paperwork on the case.

He wanted to say no but Brass had done so many favors for him in the past, he couldn't say no to his friend, "Sure Jim,I'll drop it off." he took the report and laid it in the passenger seat, then closed the door and walked around to get inside.

Nick waved,as Brass entered his car and drove away,"Okay Ellen,take me back to the station." he hit the automated address and waited for the GPS to talk to him.

"Hi Nick, ready to go home?" the small machine asked in a sultry voice,he smiled,Warrick's idea of a female companion,he was a true friend with a wicked imagination.

"Ellen, I need to get going, I'm dead tired. Take me back to the station." he turned the key to the engine and started to pull out of the driveway, his hand unconsciously going to his side to apply a little pressure,the pain almost taking his breath this time,he hit the brake and sat still and waited for it to pass.

"Drive 220 feet and then go left Nicky." the machine had been programmed to have personality and to be persona, but she was a little impatient, a lot like Warrick use to be.

"Okay Ellen, I need to be able to straighten back up first." he thought the pain was going to stay,it was excruciating, then it passed,but the nausea didn't and he had to stop twice before he got back to the station to vomit.

**LVPD Station/Crime Lab**

Nick felt better after he vomited,attributing the pain to something he must of eaten, though he couldn't remember when or what it was,but at least he felt better.

He dropped the report off,took the evidence to the lab and was about to leave for a quick run home and a fast nap when he heard her voice calling,"Hey Nicky, can you come here for a few minutes?"

He glanced at his watch it was already four-thirty in the afternoon,he couldn't help but to think that the woman never slept.

He turned and walked to her office,the door was open so he walked inside,"Hey Catherine,you haven't gone home yet?" he asked,wanting to leave himself.

"Nicky, I have a favor to ask,I know you have to be here early for Ray but I need you to help me get some of this paperwork done and to answer your question, I did go home but I had to come back in because this is due tomorrow morning." she gave him a sweet smile and handed him a stack of papers.

He nodded and gave her a small smile, maybe he could find a quiet place to get through the paperwork then take a nap."I'll take this to my office."

"Thanks Nicky, I do appreciate it so much." she then placed her glasses on and started working on the paperwork. Nick stood and opened the door to the hallway,carrying the thicker stack of paperwork with him to his new office, the office he now shared with Riley and Greg.

He looked down at the paper on top, performance evaluations,"Great." he muttered,as he took off his jacket,the office seemed a little warm, Grissom must of liked it warm for his bugs, because it never cooled off, they really needed maintenance to check it out,hopefully it wasn't booby trapped with one of the Grissom gadgets, or clogged with some bug nest.

He looked down at Riley's ninety day evaluation review,and smiled, as he read,'Does employee have respect for authority?' He laughed,wanting to put a big"_No"_ in the blank but he knew that wouldn't be entirely correct so he put,_'Riley needs to work on some communication skills to assist her in becoming a better communicator with her peers."_

Okay, one hurdle overcome now the next question, his eyes were starting to blur and he let out a big yawn,"I need coffee." he was a little hesitant to go and get a cup,not wanting to vomit again but his stomach and side did feel better.

He stood to go to get the coffee when he was hit with a pain that was so terrible he had to sit back down and place his arm across his stomach, another wave of nausea hit hard and he threw up green bile into the trash can.

"Okay,must be the flu." he deducted knowing that he just had to get through one more shift and then he was off for a day, a whole day to just sleep. This time though the pain stayed longer, the room seemed too hot, and the nausea refused to leave.

Finally, when he was able to stand, he did, his legs a little shaky,then he walked to the bathroom,wanting to wash his face when he heard a voice behind him,"Mr Stokes, ready to do it again tonight?" the burly man stood beside him,looking down on him as if he were some hideous creature.

"Too much enthusiasm Ray." he mumbled,feeling the exhaustion settling into his mind, and body."Sure, just give me a few minutes." ,giving the man a smile.

"Listen, I need to see Catherine first then I'll meet you in the lounge to get our assignment." he smiled,pulling his large case behind him as he exited the bathroom.

"He's as tall as Warrick or taller." he muttered to himself as he washed his face,knowing that he needed to brush his teeth but feeling too bad to execute the walk to the locker room to get his toothbrush and toothpaste.

As he looked into the mirror he noticed a bruise forming on his neck,pulling down his shirt off his shoulder a larger,dark black bruise had formed, the lady wrestler had bitten him hard, she probably gave him rabies, he thought to himself, attempting to see if any skin was broken.

Satisfied that she had not given him anything that would possibly kill him later, he opened the door and walked back down the hallway entering the lounge. Ray,Greg and Riley sat chatting about their wonderful day of sleep, which almost made him want to throw up again, he hadn't seen a bed in days.

Catherine strolled in with assignment slips and gave each person a slip of paper,"Okay, I'm doing paperwork again tonight, if anybody needs assistance call Nick." she then smiled and left the room.

Nick and Ray looked at their assignment,an arson on Clover,a medical-surgical center."Ready to go Nick?" Langston asked as he picked up his case and headed for the door.

"Sure,be there in a minute. Here, start the engine." he threw the enthusiastic man his keys and smiled.

"Will do Mr Stokes, see you there in a few minutes." he left the room and walked out towards the garage,pulling his large kit behind him.

Nick walked to his locker,opened the door and pulled out a bottle of motrrin,needing something to still the now steady,dull pain in his side. He must of pulled a muscle when the large lady landed on him when they hit the floor. Whatever it was he was now hurting badly, but he knew he had to get it done,his assignment,his new recruit was counting on him.

He popped four of the caplets and swallowed then down with some water from the fountain. He was about to get out the door when he heard a voice call his name,"Hey Nick!"

He turned to see Hodges running after him,"Hey Nick, can you do me a favor?" looking rather strange as if something was bothering him,even stranger than normal."What Hodges?" he asked feeling a little rushed to get to the truck with Langston.

"I need a box of baking soda, for an experiment,do you think you could bring it back on your way back in tonight?"Hodges looked as if he were up to something.

"Hodges, what experiment needs baking soda?" he asked,feeling put out by the man.

"The one I'm doing on explosives, it is really great, All you need is some baking soda and some,"he stopped seeing that Nick was holding up a hand.

"I'll get the baking soda Hodges, on our way back from our crime scene." he turned to walk out but Hodges added something.

"Nick,that bruise on your neck looks really bad,you might need to run faster next time a woman chases after you." giving the beefy Texan grief for allowing the sumo wrestler, crazed hatchet woman to tackle him.

"Funny Hodges,by the way,get your own baking soda." he called out as he walked out the door.

Hodges couldn't get it,had he made Nick mad? He turned and walked back towards his station,maybe Archie would run to the store to get his baking soda.

**Okay, need to work on my other story but if you like let me know...Thanks!!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:I'll Push Through It**

**Author:Nicksfriend**

**Disclaimer:I do not own or have any sort of connection to CBS or the CSI franchise...wish I did though it would be nice to have a little extra cash.**

**Summary: Have you ever asked yourself,"Am I too tired to get through this?" Nick Stokes hasn't, until now.**

**I have heard him use this term twice,both times he was either tired or sick. We all knew he would push through it because he is Nick but everybody has their limits.**

Hodges couldn't get it,had he made Nick mad? He turned and walked back towards his station,maybe Archie would run to the store to get his baking soda.

**Nick/Greg/and Riley's Office**

Greg and Riley walked into the office,their office ,thanks to Nick's generosity. He could have had the office all to himself but not Nick Stokes,he always was thinking of others.

"What's that smell Greg?" Riley asked wondering if Greg had brought in one of his infamous tuna sandwiches and forgot to take the trash from the office.

"Honestly Riley, not me this time." he smiled but the smell was hitting him in the face too,it smelled like vomit.

Catherine knocked at the door,"Hey guys, have you seen Nick, I forgot to get some papers from him." she scrunched up her nose, a smell hit her hard,"What is that smell? Did Grissom leave one of his experiments behind?"

"We were looking for the cause ourselves,it has an ammonia smell to it,gastric acid or bile." Greg walked over to Nick's desk and looked down, the smell permeating his nostrils more as he approached the desk.

Catherine followed and reached under the desk,pulling out Nick's trash can,"Did I miss something?" she asked as she visually examined the green yellow emesis in the can,no food which meant it wasn't the first time he had thrown up, the smell indicating that he was bringing up gastric juices,not a good sign when one is sick.

"He did look tired when he came back from that crime scene you sent him to this morning." Riley stating a fact,not really thinking he hadn't slept that day or that he hadn't gone home.

"Wasn't Nick wearing the same clothes he was wearing last night?" Greg asked,starting to put it all together.

"I think I messed up. Really messed up." Catherine turned and walked out of the office,pulling out her cell and scrolling through her numbers to Nick's then hitting the walkie talkie button on the side but it read _busy in data 3_,no answer.

She reached her office, walked in and shut the door, Nick was sick and it was her fault, at least some of it was her fault,seeing that Nick hadn't been home probably in days, according to his time sheet that was laying on her desk."Dammit!"

She quickly called Brass, he was going to meet Nick and Dr Langston at the crime scene,"Brass should already be there." she spoke it to herself.

"Jim." Brass's voice was a little frantic,gun fire could be heard in the background,"I'm a little busy at the moment Catherine, our crime scene just went under fire."

"What the hell?" stunned at the news,sitting down in her desk chair, unlocking her top drawer and pulling out her gun and holster.

"I just got here but we have a sniper." he was trying to explain and at the same time he had to attempt not to step in front of the sniper's bullet.

"Do you see Nick's SUV?" she asked,feeling frantic,hoping that her team members were safe.

Brass looked around and then he saw it, Nick's truck shot full of bullet holes, but from his view there was nobody inside."I see it,but I don't see Nick."

"I'm on my way." Catherine hung up the phone,stood and walked out into the hallway,"Greg, Riley, I need you!" she shouted down the hallway,hoping that they had not left yet.

Greg walked around the corner,"What's wrong Catherine?" upset at the tone of his boss.

"Nick and Ray are under fire, Brass is there but I'm going,you and Riley want to go to?" she asked as she checked her gun,loading the weapon.

"Count me in, but Riley left to go to her assignment." he waved towards the garage,"Maybe we can catch her if we hurry."

They both ran outside but her vehicle was already gone, Greg and Catherine jumped into her truck and sped out of the garage.

T**wenty minutes earlier**

Langston quietly observed his new partner, his teacher. The diaphoresis,flushed skin,and the man's discomfort at sitting could be observed."You feeling okay Nick?" he asked, his medical mind assessing the symptoms that were evident even to the most non-medical person.

He turned with a questioning look,"Oh huh, yeah, I'm good." he answered, the pain in his side feeling as if it might become a bigger problem.

"I'm a medical doctor Nick,you're not fine. Let me see, you haven't been to bed,evidenced by the clothes that you are wearing,same as last night. You have a bruise on the side of your neck that any medical doctor would xray or at least ultrasound to make sure there's no type of muscular or tendon damage and you have a fever. I would say,that you are not fine."

Nick shrugged,"I'll push through it. It's good." He mumbled,knowing that the pain was more than just a simple problem,it was a growing problem,and he had to get through the shift,then he would see a doctor.

Dr Langston nodded,he could detect a stubborn man ten feet away,Nick was a stubborn man.

"We're here." he picked up his radio," Dispatch,this is Charlie 05 Stokes and Charlie 08 Langston, we're reporting to a 406, possible 419 at 4230 Clover and Main." he ended his call in then listened to the dispatcher to confirm l.

As Langston was getting out on his side a shot rang past his ear,"Nick, I think someone is firing at us!" he shouted as he took cover behind the truck, no police cars were at the scene.

Nick jumped out and pulled his gun,"Get down Ray!" he yelled as he looked around for who might be shooting at them, but it was dark, the medical center was lit up though, as if someone might still be inside,he knew they had to make it inside,the sniper or snipers could have them in their sight.

"Ray!" Nick yelled again.

"Yeah, I'm here." he kept his voice low as he made it around to where Nick was squatted down.

"We have to get inside. On the count of three run to the door and kick it in if necessary." he instructed as he pointed his gun around the front of the car ,the direction from where the shot was fired.

"One,two, three." he counted,Langston ran and luckily the door was open, he manged to keep cover as he kept it open for Nick to run in too but the man wasn't coming and he was worried.

"Nick! Nick!" he shouted,hoping not to bring attention to himself but worried about his partner.

Then he saw him,he was attempting to move but he seemed unable. Langston knew what he had to do,he ran back for Nick.

**Hope you like!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:I'll Push Through It**

**Author:Nicksfriend**

**Disclaimer:I do not own or have any sort of connection to CBS or the CSI franchise...wish I did though it would be nice to have a little extra cash.**

**Summary: Have you ever asked yourself,"Am I too tired to get through this?" Nick Stokes hasn't, until now.**

**I have heard him use this term twice,both times he was either tired or sick. We all knew he would push through it because he is Nick but everybody has their limits.**

**Crime Scene**

Nick couldn't move,the excruciating pain in his side stopping him from getting inside,the rain of bullets flying,he wasn't going to make it inside.

He could hear Langston calling for him and he hated to disappoint his new trainee but he wasn't going to be able to move.

Then suddenly strong hands grabbed him,pulling him inside of the medical center,"You okay Nick, are you shot?"Langston asked worriedly,thinking the reason his mentor was unable to move was due to a gunshot wound.

"My side,it hurts. Really bad." the pain had him doubled over,unable to straighten out.

Langston reached down and felt the fever radiating from Nick's forehead,"You're sick."

"We need to get up and away from this door, they know we're in here so we need to get somewhere safe." Nick directed,knowing that whoever called in the arson was also the one shooting.

Langston looked around,the place seemed as if it were open,lights still on,music still playing in the waiting area,"Anybody here?" he yelled into the building.

Suddenly he heard and saw a young woman holding up her hands,as if she was giving up to whoever might be intruding,and she thought it was them,"We're the good guys, I'm Dr Ray Langston and this is Nick Stokes,we're both crime scene investigators for the LVPD."

"Listen is there anybody else here?" Nick managed to ask, attempting to stand but not doing a very good job at it.

"Did he get shot?" the woman asked as she ran over and started to help Langston in getting the man up.

"No,I'm fine." Nick tried to lie again,but it was obvious that he was in a lot of pain.

"He's sick, I need a place to take a look at him." Langston shot Nick a look ,hoping that he would get across his point that he was not to argue.

Instead Nick nodded,acquiescing to the older man,"First we need to lock all of the doors,and we need a room without windows." he reached and pulled up his radio but it was just static,the monitoring equipment in the medical facility was interfering with the transmission of a signal.

"Maybe our phones will work." Langston spoke it out loud,pulling out his cell and attempting to call dispatch,but again no signal.

"Any radio or communicative device will not work here." pointing to the sign overhead,_'Turn off all phone and computer devices'_"Too much interference. And they cut our telephone wires,we can't call out." the young blonde, explained,her fear evident in her nervous mannerisms.

Langston reached over,keeping himself low and locked the entry door,"How about the others?" he asked as they started assisting Nick to a safer area.

"We're all back here." she pointed down a hallway,towards what looked like a surgical area.

"We hid after we noticed that whoever started shooting had cut off our means of communication,we were about to close it up for the day." she explained as they assisted Nick into he room and up on a table, they were now joined by two other individuals.

"Do you keep money or drugs here?" Nick asked as he lay down on the table, his gun still clinched in his hand,he was starting to shake due to the level of pain, and he knew that he wasn't going to be able to aim well soon.

"We're an outpatient surgical center, we have both." the woman explained as she lifted up Nick's shirt,so that Langston could assess where the man's pain was located.

"We need to lock ourselves in here until we can get help,though I'm sure that Brass is probably here by now along with a few of our unis."

Langston visualized the area of discomfort and was about to press his hand on Nick's stomach when Nick's hands automatically went up to protect it,he was guarding, a symptom of appendicitis."Nick,I need to be able to touch your stomach." pointing down at his mentor's arm and hand.

The woman reached over and removed Nick's hand and held onto it gently,and in a soft voice s he spoke,"It'll be alright, he just wants to assess your stomach." looking up at the taller,more massive man."You are a doctor?"

"Yes, I am." he knew that statement was true but he had not practiced medicine in a long time,he had been a teacher for the past few years,teaching it instead of doing it.

"Langston reached to Nick's left side and pushed,his patient showed a definite grimace, a positive psoas sign, then as he laid his hand on Nick's right side and pressed down against rigid abdomen Nick did not make much of a fuss but when he let go he almost came off the table.

"Dammit Ray, what the hell?" he yelled, the rest of the room knew that the man was in trouble, here they were in trapped in a building, people were shooting outside and they had a very sick patient on their hands.

"Rebound tenderness Nick, it's fairly clear that you have appendicitis." he walked over and started looking for a syringe.

The young woman holding Nick's hands was a nurse and she knew immediately what he needed, a lab tech was one of the hostages."We can get a CBC and a H and H, and run it here." wanting to give the doctor what he needed to help the man on the table, as she pointed to the top drawer of the medicine cabinet.

Langston nodded,"That's good. Do you have an ultrasound machine?" he asked as he heard another round of gunfire outside.

The man who had stood silent for so long raised his hand,"Yes, I'm a certified anesthetist. I'll get it for you." he left the room to walk to another windowless room, to retrieve the machine.

"Hey,I can't deal with this right now,if you haven't noticed we're in a bad situation right now." Nick spoke out as he attempted to sit back up but the pain stopping him,causing him actually pull his legs up,to squash the pain,but it wasn't helping.

"He needs something for pain,something that won't dull his senses,because right now he is the only one of us who can use a gun." he explained to the nurse.

"We have Toradol,it will help." she reached into the cabinet pulling out IV start equipment and a small dark bottle.

"That would actually be great,it is more like an anti-inflammatory and a good pain med,give him thirty milligrams and let's see what we dealing with, also start him on some normal saline,he's probably dehydrated from all the vomiting he's done today." ,giving Nick a look of_ 'don't argue with me'._

Nick knew he didn't have an argument against the medication and that he was going to be able to stay awake, he wanted the pain relief, he had a job to do,to assist in protecting these people.

He watched as the woman helped remove his jacket but left his t-shirt. She then very carefully prepped his arm for the IV,then pulled out a fairly large angiocath,"This is going to hurt a little Mr Stokes." she soothed as the needle hit sensitive skin.

The pain lasted for only a few seconds,but he knew relief was coming and that was all he could manage to think about, the pain in his side subsiding. Taking the syringe she pulled out the blood needed for the tests and handed it to the lab tech awaiting the syringe of blood,placing it into vials to run the tests needed.

She then taped down his new IV ,then proceeded to hang a bag of saline and pull up the medication to inject into the IV port. After she had given him the medication she reached over and comforted him,waiting for the pain to ease.

"Here you go doctor." the anesthetist pushed the machine next to the bed.

"Thank you." Langston's hands already busy turning it on and grabbing a bottle of gel to rub on Nick's abdomen, Nick already visibly relaxing,the pain starting to subside to a tolerable level.

His eyes were now closed, he could feel the pain increase as Langston took the device and ran it over his stomach, pressing down to get a better view,but it was a short lived pain and the look on his partner's face was indicative of what would come next.

"Nick, you need surgery, now." he laid the equipment aside, moving closer to the man whom he had only met a few weeks before,"If we don't do something now it will rupture and all that infection will pour out into your gut, causing peritonitis, a life threatening problem. Do you understand Nick?" Langston knew it was not the ideal situation or place but Nick didn't have a choice,it was plain and simple, his appendix was about to rupture.

Nick opened his eyes and looked up at the man,"You're kidding, right?"

**Feedback is very appreciated and I do appreciate your kind words and your pointers! Thank you.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:I'll Push Through It**

**Author:Nicksfriend**

**Disclaimer:I do not own or have any sort of connection to CBS or the CSI franchise...wish I did though it would be nice to have a little extra cash.**

**Summary: Have you ever asked yourself,"Am I too tired to get through this?" Nick Stokes hasn't, until now.**

**I have heard him use this term twice,both times he was either tired or sick. We all knew he would push through it because he is Nick but everybody has their limits.**

"Nick, you need surgery, now!" he laid the equipment aside, moving closer to the man whom he had only met a few weeks before,"If we don't do something now your appendix will rupture and all that infection will pour out into your gut, causing peritonitis, a life threatening problem. Do you understand Nick?"

Langston knew it was not the ideal situation or place but Nick didn't have a choice,it was plain and simple, his appendix was about to rupture.

Nick opened his eyes and looked up at the man,"You're kidding, right?"

"No Nick, you need surgery now,right now." his voice urgent and his wrinkled brow indicative of concern,grave concern for his friend.

Nick pulled his upper body up and leaned over to his right,resting his chest on his right arm,"First we have to get out of here and since we can't talk to anybody outside,we have no idea what we are up against and right now I have the only gun,with the only experience in shooting thus said gun." he laid his back on the table,wondering what the older man was thinking.

"I served in the military as a medic long before I had a luxury office at LV University,I have taken out bigger things than an appendix in my lifetime and when I say that you need surgery I mean you need it now. This is an outpatient surgical center." he smiled down at Nick,who looked back at him with incredulous eyes."I could take it out here."

"You are joking? I've heard that you haven't performed surgery in a long time,I don't want to be the guinea pig." he attempted to sit up,his eyes on the door that was now locked but he thought he heard something or someone on the other side.

"He held up his hand and motioned for the nurse to turn off the light,"Get down." he whispered to the staff,who obeyed without question.

Nick reached down and pulled out the IV tubing out of the angiocath, he needed to be able to get a good shot if someone had entered the building, especially if they entered the room.

Langston picked up a metal IV pole and walked over to stand beside the door,ready to assist Nick if necessary. "I don't hear anything now." again keeping his voice low.

Nick waved him over,feeling as if there was somebody still there,then he heard it, men's voices again,he knew they were no longer safe in the room,this was where they would come first for drugs.

"In here,I think this is the place." a deep male voice yelled outside the door, Langston grabbed Nick's arm to assist him and they pushed the others into the nearby lab.

The nurse grabbed the IV fluid and carried it with her,not wanting the men to see that someone else was in the office.

"Good thinking." Langston spoke softly to the young nurse.

She nodded as she continued to follow the others to the back of the lab, a small closet with a window,it wasn't the safest place but it would have to do for now.

Nick pulled out his cell, attempting to get a signal at the window,feeling that it might be possible, a weak signal appeared on the phone and he quickly dialed Brass's number.

**Present**

Brass was on his radio,officers screaming out for direction but the gunshots were coming from all directions,nobody could move, he needed SWAT.

He picked up his radio and hit the button on the side,"This is Jim Brass we're under fire, repeat, we are under fire, request officer back up and Swat."

"This is dispatch, we are in the process of sending back-up,and Swat has been notified, ETA is ten minutes." the sound of the gunfire suddenly quieted down,he was startled by the ringing of his cell.

Grabbing the phone again he answered,"Brass." as he continued to look around,hoping that his present team was doing okay, that Stokes and Langston were out of harm's way.

"Jim,we're inside of the medical-surgical office,we can hear voices in the main surgical area,it's possibly a drug related break-in." between panting breathes,and the pain in his side that restarted with a deep painful ache,he needed to give Brass their location before his phone signal went dead.

"Nicky, are you okay?" hearing the strain in the young man's voice.

"Brass listen,we are in the lab,they're here." his signal continued getting weaker,it was starting to make the call break up,then it finally went silent.

"Dammit,it's dead again." he put it back on his side,sliding it back into it's holder then he remembered, his jacket, he had left his jacket with his identification in the other room,it could mean their death if the men found it.

"I forgot my jacket, if they find it,we're all dead." he tried to stand but the pain again stopped him.

"Can we get out the window?" Langston asked as he reached up and tried to maneuver the lock.

No gunfire was heard as Langston opened the small window,the snipers had to be inside now, Nick thought to himself, he needed to keep them at bay.

"Get them out Ray, I'm going to keep them away long enough for you to get them out that window."his words almost inaudible due to the strained effort of getting them out between the sharp pains that had returned, he was unable to stand erect,due to the now constant,debilitating pain in his side.

"No. We are leaving together,I won't leave you here,they will kill you. If they don't kill you then Nick you will die from the infection, so you'll have no choice but to leave with us, and it has to be now." hearing the voices getting closer, he assisted the woman out of the window first,then the lab tech and then the anesthetist.

"I'll not make it. I can barely move." he shook his head, his body now falling against the wall,sliding slowly to the floor , his gun almost slipped from his hand,the pain too unbearable, then suddenly a face appeared at the window,it was Brass.

"Nick, come on,I'll assist you." he reached in and pulled as Langston pushed him out, the man barely able to do anything for himself now.

Langston pushed himself out the window and fell to the ground with a harsh landing,a direct hit to his shoulder.

"You okay Ray?" Brass asked as he lifted Nick to a standing position.

"Everything but my pride." he stood and followed Brass behind his car,where all the other hostages had gathered,then the gunfire started again but this time from inside the building they had just escaped.

"What's wrong with Nick?" he asked as he quickly returned fire back,hoping he could at least hit something or someone,the darkness of the night sky assisting him in keeping their cover.

Nick was now out cold,his body slumped to the side,leaning against the terrified nurse.

"I don't like the way he looks." she commented,seeing that the pain on his face was now replaced with an ashen color.

"Dammit Nick." Langston crawled over to where the prostate man lay,his carotid pulse was thready, his face was hot to touch. "I think his appendix might of ruptured,this isn't good. He needs a hospital and I mean he needs it now." he felt bad for Nick, he knew that they had tried but the situation was too much against the heavily armed men inside now.

Brass pulled up his radio,"Dispatch, this is Brass, officer needs medical assistance, what is my ETA on SWAT?" He looked over at Nicky,the situation called for a serious solution, a quick solution.

"We're unable to get any vehicles or air assistance near you at this time,we have more gunfire near the entrance of the road, SWAT is delayed. Repeat SWAT is delayed and nobody can get through at this time,you're on your own until further notice." dispatch relayed back to Brass.

"Son of a bitch! We have to do something." he mainly was talking to himself but he knew that he had Nick's life in his hands.

"He needs surgery now. He can die if he doesn't get surgery soon." Langston whispered to Brass,wanting the man to be aware of the dire situation.

The Anesthetist who had been quiet until now decided that he would take a risk,"Listen, my name is Carl Taylor, I have keys to several of the outpatient surgical facilities around here, I work for several of the surgeons."the surrounding complex was nothing but medical and office buildings.

"Where is the closest?" Brass asked as he suddenly took an interest in the man with the white jacket.

Carl pointed to the building behind him,"It has the windows broken out,they probably tore the place up looking for drugs though."

"All we would need is an epidural set up and something to assist in keeping him relaxed. We have to try." Langston was already getting Nick to a sitting position even though he wasn't responding.

"You're going to do the surgery?" Brass was in shock,feeling somewhat hesitant to allow the man to do surgery on his friend,the current situation could endanger his life even more.

"I don't think you understand Mr Brass, if Nick doesn't have surgery he could die, the infection could get into his gut and turn into peritonitis, a horrible way to die." the nurse nodding her head,the fear was present but she agreed with the older man.

"I'll give you cover,just run like hell and get him inside, I don't have a lot of ammunition left, so if you hear me yell then your time is done."Brass explained,wanting them to know that it was a very big risk.

Langston nodded,picking up Nick's gun and handing it to the captain,"Nick won't be using this and I would just end up shooting myself."

Brass took Nick's gun and nodded,"Get going and take care of my friend."

Carl and Langston took a good hold on Nick and started running,followed by the nurse and the lab tech,heading for the door, Carl had the keys out ready to open the door but it was already open, Langston noted right away that the door had not be broken down but it appeared to have been unlocked.

"Where's the surgical area?" Langston asked,not wanting to waste a moment.

"In here!" Carl shouted,wanting the others to follow.

The surgical suite, as predicted had been torn up but the actual surgical are was left untouched, Langston again noted that the cabinets had been opened with keys,not broken or destroyed.

They assisted Nick onto the surgical table, the nurse immediately taking off Nick's clothing and placing cardiac leads on his bare chest and a pulse oximeter on his index finger.

"I want to put in an epidural,he'll be numb from the waste down, it's just too risky to put him to sleep." Langston instructed his small medical team.

Carl reached inside a cabinet and pulled out an epidural set and started setting it up to insert,Langston was gathering surgical equipment,sterile packs and the nurse was now prepping Nick's lower right abdomen for the procedure.

Nick's eyes opened, a different place, something cold on his abdomen,"What's going on?" he asked,the pain in his side seemed better.

"We'll need to get his IV restarted with Lactated Ringers and give him antibiotics." he turned to talk to Nick,"You are in need of surgery now Nick, I'm going to have to take out your appendix, do you understand?" Again gunfire could be heard outside the building.

Nick looked up the man,confused,"Aren't you a pathologist Ray?"

"Yes, yes I am." he answered,wondering why Nick was asking such a question.

"I'm not dead yet?" Nick asked,again with confusion on his face.

"No Nick, you are very much alive." he pushed his glasses up,wondering where the conversation was going.

"When is the last time you cut open a live person Ray?" Waving his trainee a little closer.

"Probably twenty years ago." he shrugged,"More or less."

"That's what I thought, no surgery Ray." he started to get up but his arm was restrained to a board,IV fluids infusing.

"Nick,how's your pain?" Langston had a new look of concern on his face.

"Actually better." he felt that was a good thing but Langston had a renewed since of urgency.

"Give him something to knock him out, we need to operate now." the nurse nodding in understanding that when the pain improves, the appendix is either leaking the infection out or that it had ruptured.

They turned Nick over and inserted the epidural in a manner of seconds,taping it down securely, the drip started, then they lay him back down on his back,"Getting numb Nick?"

"Can't feel my waist,my legs or feet.", his voice now groggy, the nurse had found some Versed left in the refrigerator and had inserted into his IV port and started an IV drip of Versed in another IV site.

Doctors always knew it was wrong to have drugs out from lock and key and Joint Commission could get them for doing it but '_the waste not want not attitude' _prevailed and actually was going to assist in saving this patient's life.

Langston was scrubbing along with the Anesthetist, the Registered Nurse,and the lab tech. It would take all three to get Nick through this surgery, after they gowned, Langston checked for numbness and Nick affirmed sleepily,it was time to begin.

I hope you guys are liking,it's a little hard to tell. Thanks for all of you who have commented...very appreciated! Thank You!


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:I'll Push Through It**

**Author:Nicksfriend**

**Disclaimer:I do not own or have any sort of connection to CBS or the CSI franchise...wish I did though it would be nice to have a little extra cash.**

**Summary: Have you ever asked yourself,"Am I too tired to get through this?" Nick Stokes hasn't, until now.**

**I have heard him use this term twice,both times he was either tired or sick. We all knew he would push through it because he is Nick but everybody has their limits.**

His hands trembled as he walked back over to the table where Nick lay, he clasped them together to help still his nerves,Nick was right it had been a long time.

He looked around at the now masked faces,"My name is Ran Langston,I'm a forensic pathologist,but have been a medical doctor for over thirty years."

The registered nurse looked up from preparing the equipment and introduced herself."My name is Abbey,I'm a surgical assistant to the surgeon." s he smiled from underneath the mask,afraid of what was outside but knowing that they had to do this for the man.

The lab tech,now donned the float person looked up as she tied Langston's gown in the back,"My name is Chrystal,I guess you can call me a lab tech." she continued to assist everybody by tying their gowns and giving them their sterile gloves.

Carl looked up,"Surgical -medical assistant." he was busy watching his patient,his blood pressure was a little high so he was busy assisting him with proper medications.

Langston picked up the scalpel and looked down at Nick's betadine covered abdomen,"It was time to start and from the gunfire outside,time was something that they didn't have much of.

The sharp blade touched the firm skin,_Nick must be working out a lot,he thought to himself,_the muscular abdomen proof of Nick's dedication to his job and his health,so why didn't he seek medical attention when he started having symptoms?He would need to ask when they got out of this mess.

As he made the three inch incision he noted that the layer of fat was minimal and the muscles were well formed,he continued until he reached the cecum,the inflamed appendix attached, he quickly started detaching it,with Abbey providing suction as he dissected, arteries and blood vessels,taking the surgical thread he looped it around the end the inflamed piece of bowel and tied it off securely,cauterizing the blood vessels to detach it,noting the the small area was was leaking infection.

"Abbey, let's flush his wound with some warm saline and then follow up with an antibiotic flush." he ordered as he heard the gunfire increasing outside.

Abbey quickly reached for the 50 cc syringe and flushed the area out,then placed the empty syringe on the tray and suctioned it out,then took another pre-pared syringe and flushed the area with antibiotic,as Dr Langston removed the infected piece of bowel.

He looked around,trying to determine if the wound should be left open and pack it or to close it up,he decided to close it up, after feeling that not much of the infection had leaked out into the gut,feeling it would be better as far as pain and the risk for further complications.

As he started to suture of the wound a loud explosion could be heard, it shook the room,lights and machines went off,they all stood still,fear and panic gripped them,their patient was now on battery powered equipment but they were in the dark.

"What do we do now." he asked the staff,hoping that they had a generator.

"The generator should be kicking on in a few minutes." Carl stated as he saw that his patient was getting agitated,his vitals starting to climb but suddenly the generator kicked in and they were now in a dimmer light but at least it was better than nothing.

"He's vitals are getting a little unstable here,probably a reaction to the explosion since he is still awake to a certain degree." Carl wanted the doctor to know what was happening and that he was on top of it,wanting to assist in making sure Nick stayed stable.

**Outside**

Brass had to move,the gunfire was increasing,he sensed that they were aware of the situation,that one of them were injured or in need of medical attention,possibly from Nick's jacket being left behind earlier in the other building.

He pulled out his cell and called dispatch again,not using the radio due to it's loud volume,"What the hell is going on, and where the hell is my men? I'm having problems here." he wanted to shout but knew that would get him in trouble, he didn't want them to know his new location.

" We have assistance on the way now,should be there within the next couple of minutes,please update." the dispatcher informed.

"As far as I can tell there are at least ten to fifteen men in the area,they are systematically breaking into buildings. I have my two CSI's and some medical staff in one building." he rolled his eyes,hating to tell them what they were doing but he knew they needed to know so they didn't get shot.

"Charlie 05 is down, he was in need of emergency surgery and is undergoing surgery at present,Charlie 08 is with him and three medical staff members." he felt enough information had been given,leaving out the part where Langston was actually performing the surgery, that would go over well, a forensic pathologist who hadn't practiced medicine in years taking out Nick's appendix,they would probably be in shock if they knew that little part.

An explosion rocked the medical park,fire flew up into the air,Brass's mouth went slack,these men were looking more like terrorists than crooks, an entire block wiped away,"Dispatch,we just had a huge explosion, fire and possible terror alert should be considered." his eyes not believing what he was looking at,the fire mixed with oxygen and the anesthesia causing a fireball that went upwards at least 200 feet.

"Fire and rescue on their way,terror alert initiated." the dispatcher's voice a little frantic now.

Brass knew he had to get inside the surgical building where Nick and Langston were,he needed them to evacuate,he needed to get them out of the building that might have been rigged with explosives.

**Hope you are still here with me!**


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